Emergency Pet Foster Care Programs
2013 annual rePort
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Founder & PresidenT Melvin “Buzz” Miller, esq. BoArd oF direCTors Michael Arms President & CEO, Helen Woodward Animal Center
our Mission
Jane Biberman Acclaimed Journalist
PaCt for animals is a champion of the humananimal Bond. PaCt gives peace of mind to hospital patients and military personnel by placing their pets in temporary no-cost foster homes until their owners can be reunited with the companion animals they love.
Alvin J. Chin, Md Attending Cardiologist, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP); Professor of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Kathryn “Kit” levy Feldman Award Winning Freelance Writer & Author Major General John l. Gronski Joint Staff/Commander, US Army, Pennsylvania National Guard Jennifer F. Johnson, dvM Owner, Stoney Creek Veterinary Hospital Sabina louise pierce Distinguished Photographer Advisors Asi lavon Technology Consultant Catherine Marchand Speech and Language Pathologist Gerald B. Shreiber Business Consultant sTAFF deborah Bedoll Assistant Director Meredith Burger Program Assistant & Volunteer Coordinator Andrea parra Development & Operations Manager Marianne M. Srnik Senior Administrative Assistant Sarah Casey Zangrilli Social Media Coordinator
Front cover photo courtesy of Aimee Davis; Photo for this page courtesy Straight 8 Photography
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from the
executive director Every year, thousands of Americans join our nation’s military, and when deployed many of them who have pets are faced with a difficult problem: Who will care for their pets while they are away protecting our country? Since our founding in late 2011, our main goal has been to prevent the permanent separation of beloved pets and their owners during personal emergencies. Thanks to the support of hardworking volunteers and loyal donors, our Military Pet Foster Program has helped save the lives of many companion pets belonging to service men and women in our nation’s military. The success of our first emergency pet foster program has been remarkable; our military foster placements have increased by over 50% per year since the program’s inception! Through the dedication of our supporters we give our beneficiaries the peace of mind they truly need. Once a pet is placed in a PACT foster home we are available 24 hours a day to provide emergency services, transportation, and assistance to the foster family. The same high quality free foster care service is provided to the beneficiaries of our Hospital Pet Foster Program. A program designed to help pets belonging to patients in acute care at hospitals, who are temporarily unable to care for their pets due to a healthcare emergency. More than just a network or website listing of volunteer foster homes, PACT is an animal loving community of pre-screened volunteers and fully vetted foster homes, approved and ready to care for foster pets at no cost to the owners. PACT’s programs are entirely hands-on; we offer a supportive foster care approach, visiting every foster home, perfectly matching a pet with the best foster family and directly facilitating foster placements. PACT is there every step of the way, until the safe and joyous reunion of animal owner and pet. It is a true labor of love and last year our volunteers and foster families donated more than 200,000 hours of their time! In 2013 we facilitated 50 foster placements and reunited 44 fostered pets, saving these pets from an uncertain future and preventing them from being needlessly surrendered, lost and separated from their owners. However, we still face a huge challenge: last year we received over 226 applications! PACT needs your help to gain more volunteers, foster homes, and donations to keep our programs going. As the need for our emergency pet foster programs grows throughout our country, we need continuous support to help us reach the increasing number of animals who need an emergency foster home. We are exceedingly grateful for the current support of individuals, local businesses, and foundations that are helping us grow a nationwide framework for our emergency pet foster care services. PACT focuses on the relationship between the owner and the animal... not just on the animal; we are here to protect the Human-Animal Bond. We exist for both human and animal welfare. I hope you will join us and support PACT in spreading the word about our unique mission! Sincerely,
Buzz Miller Founder and Executive Director
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PACT ProGrAMs military Pet foster Program Many of us do not realize that when a soldier is called to serve our country they have a limited amount of time, resources, and support to find long-term foster care for their beloved pets. Boarding a companion animal can cost thousands of dollars, and not everyone has family members or friends who can offer care for their furry friends. pACt is committed to helping those who serve our country by finding safe, loving and stable foster homes for their pets during their time of need.
PACT’s Free emergency Pet Foster Programs provide: • Fully vetted foster homes for companion pets. • Best fit foster placements ensuring foster families and foster pets are as compatible as possible. • Foster pet updates via foster parents’ regular correspondence through social media, email, video chats, photos, text messaging, and phone. • Complete peace-of-mind 24/7. emergency foster pet support is offered to all foster families; including food, supplies, training, veterinary care, and transportation, when needed.
photo courtesy of Aimee davis
PaCt up-Close: ARES & ADAM adam had more than enough to deal with when he was called away from his wife, twin girls, and his beloved Great Dane ares to do a 12-month tour of duty in south Korea. While in south Korea adam learned that his wife was unable to care for ares due to a personal emergency. luckily, with the help of his parents adam found PaCt. In turn, PaCt found the reynolds family and their two teenagers who were ecstatic to open their doors and hearts to ares, who is one of the sweetest and best-behaved dogs PaCt has ever seen — and definitely the biggest! adam’s parents drove ares all the way from Illinois to Philadelphia. the reynolds had a blast with ares and kept adam updated on the funny antics ares was doing stateside (far left). When adam came home, he was thrilled to find ares happy, loved and cared for — their reunion was caught on video and posted on Youtube (below).
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PACT ProGrAMs hospital Pet foster Program pACt also provides hospital patients with quality foster homes for their companion animals during a hospitalization. In cases involving the hospitalization of a child, often families temporarily relocate near special care children’s hospitals — most of which unfortunately do not accept pets. When patients of any age have no one to look after their family pets during a health emergency, pACt is there to help. The Hospital Pet Foster Program is the first and only emergency pet foster program of its kind designed to help critically ill hospital patients with companion pets.
PACT is proud to have worked with and assisted patients from: • • • • • •
Children’s Hospital of philadelphia (CHop) Coatesville veterans Medical Center Friends Hospital, philadelphia Jefferson Hospital, philadelphia nemours-dupont Children’s Hospital Ronald Mcdonald Houses in philadelphia and Wilmington, pA • St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children • temple university Hospital • veterans Hospital, Wilmington and philadelphia
PaCt up-Close: LUNA STARS & SARAMARIE one year ago, saramarie had life-threatening leukemia and complications. luna stars is the puppy of her dreams that always brightens up her days. When saramarie was moved to the Children’s hospital of Philadelphia (ChoP) to be in a 24hour care ward, her family moved to the ronald mcDonald house near ChoP. after learning that the house did not allow animals, her family was faced with a tough choice: live 45 minutes away from their critically ill 4-year-old daughter, or surrender saramarie’s best friend to a shelter and never see her again. luckily, saramarie’s family contacted PaCt, who found luna stars a wonderful foster home with elizabeth (above, left) at her retirement community, where the little dog quickly became everyone’s favorite. on saramarie’s birthday PaCt gave her a super birthday party, presenting her with over 500 birthday cards and many gifts from PaCt supporters who had followed her story. In september of 2013, saramarie was released from the hospital and finally able to hug her best friend luna stars again.
Companion animal education Program our emergency pet foster programs are all about protecting the Human-Animal Bond — that special connection we make with our pets. through free educational programs, workshops and student-run projects, pACt expands children’s knowledge of companion animals.
PACT’s educational Program provides:
PACT’s Board of Director member, Dr. Johnson, and her rescue dog Van Gogh, teaching Humane Education at the Community Academy of Philadelphia.
• Free, age-appropriate Human-Animal Bond lectures and workshops. • Organized activities and events for children to interact with and learn about caring for companion animals. • Breed specific education to promote the humane treatment of bully breeds. • Humane education promoting advocacy against dog fighting and animal abuse.
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2013 PACT hiGhliGhTs
• Built and released a new professional website. Check out our new site! (www.pactforanimals.org) • Developed new organizational management systems to receive foster applications, track and evaluate our programs. • Received our first “fly-in” foster animals from Florida. Photo courtesy of Dana Kozokas
PACT’s Free emergency Pet Foster Programs provide:
Approved Foster Homes
experienced Animal trainers
trusted veterinarians
emergency Care
Program Breakdown
24/7 Support
pet updates (email, phone, Skype, photos)
Animal Care Supplies
transportation to Foster Homes
Program Intake 80 70
61.2 %
38.8 %
Dogs 67.3%
Military Program Fosters Hospital Program Fosters 6 2
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60 50 40 Cats
28.6% 30 20
Other Animals 4.1%
o
ne of our greatest challenges is our limited ability to transport animals that need us from other states to the approved foster homes in our region. Currently, pACt is able to visit and approve foster homes that apply in the philadelphia tri-state region (pennsylvania, new Jersey, delaware). Since our volunteers make personal home visits to every foster home before they receive a foster animal, most of our homes are located in the philadelphia region, and thus we are limited in offering foster homes locally to those in other states.
2013 FosTer ProGrAM deMAnd
new York
new Jersey
Pennsylvania Colorado
missouri tennessee
arizona
Delaware
Virginia
north Carolina south Carolina
florida
our ProMise pACt foster homes are open to All approved foster applicants as long as they are able to transport or fly their animals to our foster homes. last year we received many companion animals from across the united States that were driven or flown to local pACt foster homes where they received all program benefits for free. We are proud that we have never failed to find a wonderful foster placement for a foster pet that could be transported to PACT.
looKinG ForWArd In 2014 and beyond pACt plans to establish a transportation fund for companion animals that need our help but are having a hard time reaching our local foster homes. In addition, we plan to develop additional foster home opportunities locally, and create a new framework to help us recruit and check homes for pACt across the united States.
Please consider donating to PACT — your donation can help us meet this challenge.
MAP KEY APPLICANTS PER STATE
1
40
loW
HIGH
STATES FROM WHICH PACT HAS RECEIVED FOSTER ANIMALS TOTAL # OF ANIMALS FOSTERED: (from all states)
50
PACT’s goal is to preserve the human-Animal Bond.
photo courtesy of Aimee davis
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TesTiMoniAl
oWner: Kellie foster anImals: Kato & Karmen
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hen I found out I was going to deploy to Afghanistan, I was totally surprised and distraught. I had to move out of my home and do all the preparations in order to leave in a short period of time. Even more stressful was the lack of a home for my two Pit Bulls, Kato and Karmen. They are my family and have been with me for over 10 years. My family and friends were unable to help and I didn’t know anyone at my new unit that could assist. I even looked at kennels, which would have cost thousands. I was so relieved when I found PACT. The Captain Kellie Harris receiving her promotion to the rank of Major. first thing I noticed was the attention they put into finding loving and safe homes. Second, it would be at no-cost to me for boarding them with PACT. Third, and what gave me the most peace of mind was to know PACT would check on my pups in my absence and the Foster Family would maintain a close relationship with me to provide a status on their well-being. My pups are spoiled. They are used to belly rubs, cuddling like lap dogs, and a safe place to play outside. I met the Smith Family days before my departure, so my fingers were crossed it would work out. I could not have found a better family for my babies. They took care of my pups for the 9 months of my deployment like they were their own children.
“I’M SO THANKFUL PACT CAME TO THE RESCUE!”
Max and Patrice sent photos, videos, and emails to let me know of their little adventures and vet visits. A few months before I was to return home, Patrice found a lump on Karmen, Kato and Karmen which proved to be cancer. They took her to treatments and cared for her the way I would have if I were there. It was definitely a relief to know that she was loved and in good hands. PACT and their foster families are amazing; they care for their foster animals as if they were their own pets. Holding Karmen and Kato again was an amazing feeling and PACT made it possible. Abandoning them to a shelter before my deployment would have broken my heart and theirs as well. I’m so thankful PACT came to the rescue!
- Major Kellie Harris
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A FosTer FAMily’s sTory By maxwell and Patrice smith PACT Foster Family Since 2011
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ur 13-year-old lab mix succumbed to liver failure in the spring of 2011. When pACt for Animals was featured in the philadelphia Inquirer that fall, we were discussing if we were ready for another dog and if we wanted another 10-15 year commitment. Committing to 6-12 months of foster care for a pet of a deploying military service member sounded like a good way to find out. We had misgivings: How will the dog behave? What if we don’t get along with the pet? What if we don’t get along with the owner? What if we need a veterinarian, for shots or an emergency? We had a lot of questions. Still, we knew we would be doing a favor for somebody that is away from home and risking his or her life for our country… we took the chance and made the call. turns out these were all good questions—which pACt for Animals had thought of already.
(L-R) Maxwell Smith, Captain Kellie Harris with her dogs Kato and Karmen, and Patrice Smith
pACt interviews all prospective fosters, surveys their property, sends them a complete description of a prospective pet guest and its owner, then convenes a meeting with the service person, the pet, and the potential fosters. At the Meet & Greet everyone can decide if the match is good; that the fosters and the pet will get along and the owner can rest assured that his/her pet will be happy, healthy and well treated while they are away. As fosters we always know the behavioral and health background of pACt foster animals. We have fostered and loved five pACt dogs so far, but there will always be a special place in our hearts for Kato and Karmen and their “mom,” Major nancy (Kellie) Harris. For our Meet & Greet we were impressed that Kellie drove several hours from her home in new Jersey in the snow just so she could meet us and we could meet her and the dogs. Within minutes we were friends. Within months we were family, and we remain so today. Kato and Karmen gave us the opportunity to teach our friends and family about the misinformation circulated about pit Bulls and pit Bull mixes. It’s hard to take the bad media press seriously when you are being licked from head to toe or when your legs are in the air because two dogs are hiding from the thunder under your desk. they were fabulous ambassadors, and we were never afraid to have them in our home or near our granddaughter.
“WITHIN MINUTES WE WERE FRIENDS. WITHIN MONTHS WE WERE FAMILY, AND WE REMAIN SO TODAY.”
the dogs came to live with us in January 2013. In late July, we took Karmen to our vet, dr. ellen Fitzgibbon, because of a lump in Karmen’s throat. It hit us hard when we heard Karmen’s diagnosis: lymphoma. How were we to tell Kellie? Kato and Karmen are her babies. As hard as it was to do, we broke the news to Kellie and with her approval we started taking Karmen to see dr. Kathy Kazmierski at the veterinary Specialty & emergency Center. We learned a great deal about chemotherapy for dogs as Karmen started months of visits and medications at our home. Karmen was the “poster dog” for remission and was ecstatic when Kellie was given some time off to join us at an appointment in September.
When Kellie returned from her deployment in november, Kato, Karmen, and Kellie joined the rest of our family for thanksgiving. By that time Karmen’s health was beginning to take a turn for the worse. on december 11th 2013, Kellie knocked on our door, and with tears in her eyes hugged us and gave us the news that Karmen had passed. It took us a while to feel like we could foster another dog through pACt, but because of our attachment to Kellie and her babies, we knew we had to keep going. So along came Bella and now Solstice. there are many ways people choose to support our troops; they are our sons and daughters and they deserve all we can do to help. the day Kellie dropped off Kato and Karmen to live with us, I asked her if she was going to cry going home. She said “yes, but I’ll be able to sleep tonight.” Kato and Karmen are family to Kellie. that’s why we do this. We keep a family member safe for a service member. After five fosters, we have also learned something about dogs. they are pack animals. they want to belong, and they live in the now. they have all immediately bonded to us and, just as quickly, joyously embraced their owners when they came back. What’s the drawback for fosters? We grow attached to sweetheart dogs, and then we have to give them back. So now we’re hooked. the only way to get over our loss is to open our home to another one.
In Loving Memor y of PACT foster dog, Karmen.
– Patrice and Maxwell Smith PAC T | 201 3 A nnuA l Rep o Rt
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Financials STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION ASSETS Current Assets Cash and cash equivalents Total Current Assets Property and Equipment Office equipment Less: Accumulated Depreciation TOTAL ASSETS
$9,977 $9,977 $4,419 ($108) $4,311 $14,288
LIABLITIES AND NET ASSETS Current Liabilities Accounts payable Accrued payroll taxes
$2,852 $5,136 $7,988
NET ASSETS Unrestricted
$6,300
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
$14,288
STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES Changes in Unrestricted Net Assets Support and Revenue Grants Contributions Donated Services
Total Support and Revenue
$46,095 $120,328 $515 $166,938
Program Services Animal Care
$91,931
Supporting Services: Management and General Fundraising
$47,451 $12,032
Total Expenses
Increase in Unrestricted Net Assets
Unrestricted Net Assets (Deficit) Beginning of Year Unrestricted Net Assets End of Year
$151,414 $15,524
$(9,224) $6,300
PACT for Animals is a tax-exempt charitable organization as defined by Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The 2013 Financial Summary above is extracted from the 2013 Financial Statements and Independent Auditor’s Report complied by Shulman, Kurtz, Turer & Topaz, LLC., CPAs. A copy is available on request. The official registration and financial information of PACT may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
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Thank you! 2013 Supporters Diane L. Actman Bonnie Baker Estate of Jack H. Bates / Frank M. Brown, Exec. Trisha Bednarczk Elizabeth Botti John & Kim Castner Alvin J. Chin, MD Jacqueline Cipriani Allison L. Connor Brian E. Daggett Irma Daniel Darryl B. Deaktor in Memory of Cookie Knapp Joseph Easterling Dara N. Espinoza Patricia & Harry Flud Hilda Fox in Memory of Cookie Knapp Bethanne Friedmann Jill Goldberg Judi Goldstein in Memory of Selma Kron Theresa D. Gorman Virginia Grahgam Mina Greco Major Nancy Kellie Harris Clayton S. Jason Wendy Kaplan Michael King Linda M. Knapp Trust M. Jean Knapp Lisa & Harry Leff Kathryn Levy Feldman Martha Lipshitz Arthur J. Margolis Michael E. Markovitz, Esq. Linda McIntyre Cathy McKernan B. Franklin Miller in Memory of Cookie Knapp Melvin B. Miller Jay & Pam Moffitt Armana Rehman Edward H. Rosen Herb & Gail Rosen Michael Salmanson B & J Schuster Philip Seasock in Memory of Cookie Knapp Pamela Seymour in Honor of Max and Patrice Smith Mark A. Shveima, CPA
Edward & Barbara Skoczylas Christopher Slattery Brian Smith Carol Smith Joan P. Snyder Marilyn Spitofsky Cohen Janie Springer Bonnie S. Squires in Memory of Cookie Knapp Marianne M. Srnik in Memory of Cookie Knapp Linda S. Strauss Robert D. Thaler Ellen Thompson Claire R. Weiner Ellen V. Weisberg Debra Wevers Renee Whieldon John Winston Sarah Casey Zangrilli Deborah Zateeny, Esq. Holly Zug Thomas V. Zug, Jr.
VFW Posts American Legion Post 268 Beirne Webster VFW 1568 Bunton & Malek VFW Post 3368 Cape May VFW Post Capt. Phillips Post 4129 Saxton VFW Club Cleo Bargerstock VFW Post 1424 Col. J. Porter Adams Post 7463 Congdon-Bailey VFW Post 8675 Crawford-Brubaker Post 5863 Edward J. Smith Post 3428 Ford City Post 4843 Fort Richetts Post VFW 8317 Gettysburg VFW Post 15 Greene County Post 3491 Harry T. Clunn Memorial Post 9220 - Ladies Auxiliary James J. Patterson VFW Post 813 James Stoner Post 6233 Jamestown VFW Post 5424 Jesse G. Greer VFW Post 1835 John J. Michael VFW Post 5207 Lansdale VFW Post 32 Latrobe Veterans Home Assn. Montour Valley VFW Post 7714, Inc. Musa-Stiles VFW Post 6223 P. J. Bair II Post No. 7418 Reynolds VFW Post 7599
Richard H. Weber Post 8023 Richard J. Gross VFW Post 8896 Standing Stone VFW Post 1754 Stephen Kandrach Post 6321 Stroup-Alexander Post 5935 Thomas Brill VFW Post 1532 Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 813 VFW Post 315 VFW Post 3491
Organizations & Foundations Bryn Mawr College Burket-Plack Foundation Inc. Chesapeake & Delaware Brewing Holdings LLC d/b/a Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant Doggyality LLC Edward Jones Gerald B. Shreiber Foundation John W. & Margaret G. Bertsch Charitable Foundation Katie’s Fund c/o The Philadelphia Foundation Pioneer Care Management Consultants (Kristen Torchia) Rescue Chocolate Sunshine Farm Trust Fund c/o Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia Swarthmore Presbyterian Church The ASMBA STAR Foundation Women in the Wind Jersey Girls Chapter
In-Kind Donations Acquire Visual, LLC Buzzy’s Bow Wow Meow David W. Kutz, CPA Joe Goch (Off Leash K9 Training, LLC) Larry Fine (Doggyality LLC) Madden Animal Hospital Stoney Creek Veterinary Hospital The Barker Lounge The Spayed Club Your Mannerly Mutt Inc.
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Photo courtesy of Sabina L. Pierce
D o n at e
Foster
Volunteer
PACT for Animals P.O. Box 590 Gladwyne, PA 19035 Tel. (610) 581-4141 info@pactforanimals.org Connect with us on:
@PACT4animals
PACT registered 501 (c)(3) organization 12 2 is aPACT | 201 3 An n ua l R enon-profit p o rt
www.pactforanimals.org